


Foreign Relations

by SmolGooDragon



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/F, Happy Ending, Idk man I needed some dancing gays, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 05:53:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15136565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmolGooDragon/pseuds/SmolGooDragon
Summary: Hinoka is out of her comfort zone on her latest diplomatic visit to Nohr, but at least Camilla is around to help.





	Foreign Relations

Hinoka shifts in her seat, picking at a stray strand hanging off from the unfamiliar dress surrounding her. She eyes the cream-colored, lacy fabric with distaste, huffs a lock of brilliant-red hair from her face, and eyes the room for what must be the fifth time in the past few minutes.

Nobles adorn the dance floor and move in time to the orchestra’s songs, men in elegant suits courting young women with their hair pinned up ever so carefully. Guards-- both Hoshidan and Nohrian-- stand at the entryways to the ballroom. They look bored and make idle chit-chat with one another, while some of the younger recruits shift uncomfortably in the bulk of their armor. Fair enough, she supposes, but gods, what Hinoka wouldn’t do to take their place and get out of this ridiculous garb…

“Feeling a little tense, are we?”

Hinoka flinches, her head turning sharply. She blinks in surprise as her gaze settles on a very familiar, lavender-haired princess. 

“...Lady Camilla,” Hinoka bows her head in acknowledgement. “Forgive me. I didn’t hear you coming.”

Camilla snorts softly, pulling up a chair to sit beside Hinoka. “No need for the formalities, dear. I can already tell that your patience is wearing thin with such trivialities.”

Hinoka grimaces, her cheeks warming. “Is it really that obvious?”

The Nohrian princess hums before leaning in and lowering her voice to a murmur, her rosy lips almost brushing against Hinoka’s ear. “You look about as grumpy as a wyvern with dragonfleas and a toothache.”

Hinoka swallows thickly, resisting the urge to pull away from Camilla’s close proximity. “Ugh. That bad, huh…?”

Camilla chuckles and pats Hinoka’s shoulder sympathetically. “It’s quite alright. I understand your frustrations… I can’t say I’ve ever been too fond of these types of events, myself.”

Hinoka nearly sighs in relief as Camilla pulls away, but then she blinks in surprise. “What, really? You seemed like you’ve been enjoying yourself for the past hour or so…”

“I’m a very good actor when I wish to be.” Camilla pauses before shooting Hinoka a sly smile. “That, and the wine definitely helps. You should try some-- it might help to loosen those shoulders of yours before your muscles get all knotted up.”

Hinoka grimaces, already imagining the bitter taste and the dryness on her tongue and throat. “...Maybe later.”

All of a sudden, Camilla pushes herself up to her feet and offers Hinoka her hand. “Here, come with me, dear.”

Before Hinoka can protest, Camilla already has a firm grip on the Hoshidan princess, dragging her up to her feet and pulling her out onto the dance floor. 

Hinoka mumbles an apology to a couple she bumps into before piping up, her cheeks flushing red once more. “Camilla, I can’t-- I don’t know your Nohrian dances--”

Camilla shoots Hinoka a small smile, one that almost leaves her feeling paralyzed. “Don’t worry, this is a slow song. Slow dancing is quite easy to pick up-- just follow my lead.”

With that, Camilla yanks Hinoka closer, lightly trailing the fingers of her right hand over Hinoka’s waist and intertwining her left-hand fingers with Hinoka’s right hand. 

Hinoka squeaks in surprise. “Camilla, what--”

“Now put your left hand on my shoulder. Come now, don’t be shy!”

Hinoka pauses once more at the sight of Camilla’s smile-- this time an almost pleading look in her eyes, if Hinoka didn’t know any better-- before cautiously adjusting her hand to rest on the taller woman’s shoulder.

“Good,” Camilla hums, stepping to the right and gently tugging Hinoka along. “Now just follow me and listen to the beat of the music-- nice and simple.”

It takes a minute of stumbling and corrections before the two settle into a steady rhythm, their bodies gently swaying alongside other couples on the seemingly endless ocean of the dance floor. Hinoka’s shoulders slowly but surely loosen up and she moves in a little closer-- purely for necessity, of course. To keep the soothing rhythm going.

Camilla loosely hums along with the music for a few lines before leaning in and murmuring in Hinoka’s ear. 

“My apologies for the abrupt ‘invitation’ to dance. I could tell that Lord Solorn was about to attempt wooing me again, and frankly, I can’t stand him.”

Hinoka nearly trips up, but she manages to catch herself before she steps on Camilla’s toes. “He keeps coming back?”

Camilla huffs. “Unfortunately so. The man just can’t seem to take a hint-- though I suspect he’s more interested in my status than anything else. His family is notorious for their especially underhanded attempts at climbing the social ladder.”

Hinoka snorts. “Ew. Glad to help you get away from somebody like that.”

 

Although, she can’t quite place the sense of disappointment lurking somewhere in her mind. 

_ Only to keep the suitors away, I guess…  _

 

“By the by, dear,” Camilla leans in once more, shooting Hinoka a wry smirk. “That cream color is quite flattering on you, but I bet I could do you one better next time.”

Hinoka blinks, pulled from her momentary distraction. “...Next time? What?”

Camilla’s smile increases ever so slightly. In the background, the orchestra’s rhythm picks up a few beats— Camilla adjusts accordingly and the tempo of the two princess’ dance speeds up.

“Just think, Hinoka. A dress the color of the blazing sunsets, something to match your hair and eyes. Or perhaps a black dress with a prismatic flare at the bottom…” Camilla chuckles. “Regardless, I’m getting carried away. But yes, next time you come over on an embassy trip from Hoshido? You absolutely  _ must _ let me do your makeup, and I’ll have a dress tailored just for you.~ Less frilly, as well; I know just how uncomfortable you are with big dresses that slow you down.”

“I— I, wait, oh—“ Hinoka briefly fumbles before her words can catch up with the tempest of emotions in her head. “I… Lady Camilla, you’re far too kind, I wouldn’t know how to pay you back.”

Camilla shoots Hinoka a playful wink, batting her dark eyelashes and showing off her gorgeous, softly-sparkling lavender eyeshadow in the process.

“Not a problem at all.~ And again, don’t worry with the formalities, or paying me back, darling. I’m doing it because I  _ want _ to. Consider it a token of friendship.”

Hinoka’s cheeks flush with color, her face warming up considerably. “...I’ll look forward to it. And perhaps you could help me learn some of these Nohrian dances, like the ‘waltz’ I’ve been hearing about?”

Camilla’s smile grows into a wholehearted grin. “It would be my pleasure.”

As a waiter passes by, Camilla suddenly releases Hinoka in order to snag two glasses of a shimmering, orange drink that the Hoshidan princess had never seen before. Ignoring the increased sense of disappointment from the sudden loss of contact, Hinoka barely has time to react as one of the long, thin wine glasses is pushed into her hands.

“I propose a toast,” Camilla hums. “A toast to the good relations between our homelands, and a toast to our newfound friendship.”

Hinoka raises her brows before nodding— almost shyly— at the sudden proposition. “I… sure. Of course. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better, and for the prosperity of our countries as we work alongside each other.”

 

_ Nailed it. _

 

The two raise their glasses, and, much to Hinoka’s surprise, Camilla taps the rim of her glass beneath Hinoka’s.

 

“I see you’ve already begun touching up on Hoshidan etiquette,” Hinoka comments as she pulls the glass closer, still a bit hesitant to drink.

Camilla smiles, automatically taking a sip of her drink. “Of course I have. I would love it if you could teach me more, though. I understand that Nohr is… rather limited in its knowledge of Hoshidan customs.”

Hinoka shrugs. “Likewise. I would love to learn more from you, as well.”

“Again, my pleasure.” Camilla gestures loosely at Hinoka’s glass. “Lesson number one: it’s polite to take a sip right after you toast.”

Hinoka clears her throat, squinting at the drink in her hands. “Ah. Uh, sorry. Of course.”

After a moment of hesitation— gods, she doesn’t want to put the bitter stuff in her mouth— she finally raises the rim of the glass to her lips and takes a tiny sip.

Much to her surprise, it tastes more… tart, than anything.

“It’s called a mimosa,” Camilla pipes up, shooting Hinoka an encouraging smile. “Do you like it?”

Hinoka blinks in surprise before taking another sip. “...Yeah. I usually don’t like alcohol, but… this is actually pretty good.”

 

_ Perhaps tonight isn’t going to be so bad after all... _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave a comment if you'd like, and to see more of my writing/leave requests, check out my writing blog on Tumblr (@smolgoodragon)! It's certainly not my best work, but I suppose this is better left here rather than abandoned in my drafts for the rest of eternity.


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